The National Comedy Center Opens, Jim Gaffigan Hologram and All

Jamestown, N.Y., has long been known as the hometown of the “I Love Lucy” star Lucille Ball (and the site of a much-mocked, since-remade sculpture of her). Now, the city is hoping to expand its reputation for humor with the opening this week of the National Comedy Center, a museum devoted to, as its website says, “telling the vital story of comedy in America.”

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Checking out a gown worn by Phyllis Diller and the Puffy Shirt from “Seinfeld.”CreditDustin Franz for The New York Times

One of the sets from “The Larry Sanders Show,” the sitcom starring Garry Shandling, is on display.CreditDustin Franz for The New York Times

Whether that happens or not, the center has made efforts to establish itself as a draw for audiences and historians alike. For fans there are interactive displays, including a hologram of the comedian Jim Gaffigan. For students of the art, there are artifacts like scripts from “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” and “Seinfeld.” George Carlin’s daughter, Kelly, donated her father’s archives to the center in 2016.

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A hologram of the comedian Jim Gaffigan talks about his early career.CreditDustin Franz for The New York Times

The opening is being celebrated through this weekend with a series of events, including a performance by Amy Schumer. For more information on the center and the celebration, go to comedycenter.org.

A version of this article appears in print on , Section C, Page 6 of the New York edition with the headline: They Made Us Laugh Our Glasses Off. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe